Kendo Study: How to Take the Center for Attack and Counter Attacking?

[@mingliu3759]

Sometimes u get to ask this question “if u were a millionaire, what would u do?” I think I just got my answer, I want to move to America and joining your training team. What an atmosphere, your teaching is so calming and straight to the point. Thank you, Sensei.

[@michaelspyrou1784]

certainly one of the best videos. it is full of meaning. the core of success.

[@SenseiEmmett]

Thank you sensei, excellent as always. Could you do something like a kata that a beginner could practice at home?

[@humanfactorbladerunnersoun127]

Hi. I live in a small town in the south of Spain and your videos are a great help to learn. Regards.

[@KendoGuide]

Thank you for your comment, HUMAN FACTOR BLADE RUNNER SOUNDTRACK!😀 I hope you liked the video! Someone from Spain volunteered and translated some of my website. Here it is www.kendo-guide.com/bases-del-kendo.html Hope this helps!

[@tartarart4922]

Thank you very much for your great teaching sensei! どうもありがとうございました

[@KendoGuide]

Thank you for your comment, TarTar ART!😀

[@tartarart4922]

Thank you very much! ありがとうございます

[@KendoGuide]

Thanks for your comment and you're welcome, TarTar ART!

[@andyan5320]

Thank you sensei for the wonderful teaching! If I may ask, could you explain how to do men cut by lowering our shinai as well please? For instance, like 松崎贤士郎‘s signiture men cut in WKC. It's not physically taking the centre, but the trajectory and the surprising feeling will lead to an ippon in certain situations. Thanks again!

[@KendoGuide]

Thanks for your comment and so sorry for the super overdue reply!!! If you are still out there, please share a link to that Matsuzaki's men cut? Thank you!

[@iblulishotter6821]

Can i be able to do two katana?

[@KendoGuide]

Thank you for your comment, Iblulis hotter!😀 I don't recommend using real katanas because it is too dangerous. If you are talking about two sword technique, yes we do have the style in kendo. But you need to learn from a good teacher. 👍

[@huihshen]

you guys can practice already? my dojo is still not running due to covid-19 :(

[@KendoGuide]

Thank you for your comment, huihshen!😀 Unfortunately, now yet (as of 8/31/2020). This video was took early this year. Most of the dojo in the US are not active at the moment. But we shall be patient and train at home waiting for the right moment to go back to the dojo, ey? 😊👍

[@melange28]

i come back to this video on occasion and i seem to pick up some small, new nuance every time...

[@KendoGuide]

Thanks for coming back to the video, @melange28! 😄 what is your favourite part of the video??

[@melange28]

@@KendoGuide Sensei (congrats again on 7dan!), when I watched this 3 weeks ago, I especially liked the 4:00 minute mark about having to be ready long before you reach uchi-ma. You also mention not to use too much right hand because then both sides are not on center.. and so I start to think the idea is to 'secretly' take center? You mention (1) 'roll the stick' and then I see (2) footwork that appears to let the shinai and body work together to take center. This makes me wonder if the intention is to take the center without making aite feel that you're trying osae-waza? Obviously, we might try all sorts of seme to get reaction from aite, but I mean, if we are purposefully not trying to do osae, maybe aite reacts to our taking the center by pushing back and then it develops into osae-kote when we just release his shinai and we come underneath to hit his kote. However, I'm wanting to work on taking center to hit men, not take center to accidentally fall into osae-kote. When you are taking center, maybe moving the body to left or right, and you keep your kensen in the center, is your posture a little bit like seigan? That's what it seems to me, but maybe not a 'full seigan'?... Would love to see you again, maybe next shinpan seminar, or maybe meet halfway (at practice in Nashville?) ... or if we could entice you to visit Memphis Kendo Association for any kind of seminar/godogeiko, it would be great. I know the holiday season is coming soon, but we'll take care of you! I'm also planning for kodansha shinsa in the spring (not sure where it will be yet)... Maybe I can take vacation and visit your dojo before shinsa?

[@KendoGuide]

@@melange28 Thank you for your kind offer and sorry for taking so long to get back to you. If your opponent knows that you're taking their center probably they will take it back, right? Now that is one message that you are sending. And nothing wrong with that. But the other one is that you secretly taking their centre. That makes them feel like that they can strike you but that is a trap. 😁 So, you can do that too. It is not about which one is better. It is about which one works for your opponent that you are fighting. You are right about kamae. My kamae is a bit diagonal. That is from my sensei but I have adjusted here and there. Sometimes I think taking the centre can be done with the monouchi too. I am not sure if I am right or not but I have been studying it. Have you ever heard that some sensei say that the kensaki should point at the left eye of your opponent? Then your kensaki is not the centre anymore, right? Kendo is fun that way so I really like tying different things. As I said in the message, that would be great if we can train before your shinsa but if not you can send me your jigeiko video. No wories, man. I would love to come down for keiko or seminar or whatever but it might be difficult before your shinsa. You're more than welcome to come and train with us too! Just let us know when you're coming to Indy!